It’s good that people are getting back to their lives and not thinking about it. I want the town to thrive, and it’s my job to keep them safe.
My mind drifts back to the meeting earlier today. Even though the elders initially supported Rex and went along with his decisions, they’ve started constantly pushing me to post security and set up scouts to watch Rose Hollow. It doesn’t matter how many times I explain to them that we’re all on the same side—none of them want to hear it.
Local farmers and craftsmen have embraced the union, with most businesses sharing resources and meeting regularly to exchange knowledge and wares. From what I can tell, the majority of the townsfolk are adjusting to the changes well and reacting positively to the packs being combined.
It’s the elders who are starting to pull back. Maybe it’s just an old habit.
I narrow my eyes a little as I continue to watch the incursion site. I can’t escape the feeling that the elders and first families are hiding things from me, even though I know they all gave full disclosure from the moment they found out the stone had been activated.
They were too shocked and scared to hide anything then.
Sighing, I think about tomorrow’s upcoming meeting, where I will no doubt have to explain—again—that the military presence guards the stone, Rex is our ally, and they can let go of their old routines regarding security and secrecy.
I don’t know them, and they don’t know me. I can’t expect this to go smoothly.
Simmering beneath my thoughts of pack dynamics, there is the constant threat of the old god, and what might happen if it reappears. Even if I get slightly frustrated by the dynamics of leadership here and the petty squabbles, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for these people. I am committed to helping them.
There’s just something missing.
Turning back towards Eccles, I flick my ears back and forth. I should head back, but I’m enjoying the time alone so much, going back to town right now feels almost like torture.
Instead of heading down the mountain, I turn and trot across the high ridge, putting my nose to the dirt. The soil has a never-ending story to tell, and I immerse myself in my base senses, completely forgetting my human side.
Trotting down the side of the mountain, I’m completely under the spell of the woods and sky. The ancient song of the wild soothes me, and my human side fades away until I am all wolf.
Suddenly, all my hair stands on end at once, like I’ve trotted through an electrical current. My head whips up as I stop, one paw held in mid-step as my tail swishes in the wind. I can’t detect any immediate changes to the surrounding area, but my instincts have been triggered.
Somewhere further down the hill, I hear a clear snap of a twig breaking. Melting into the shadows, I pace with silent paws towards the sound.
As I get closer, I can hear sharp, panting breaths and the sound of feet hitting the ground in a hard rhythm. I put my nose to the ground, then back up to the wind, but I’ve dropped down into a gully and can’t catch the scent.
It sounds like someone jogging, but who would be casually running all the way out here?
My human mind begins to take over, and irritation starts to itch against me. The only person who could be out here has to have come from one of the packs or the military base.
All I wanted was a little time for myself, and my fucking job has come running out here to find me!
Picking up my pace, I bound up out of the gully and into the thicker scrub ahead, where I can hear the soft thud of footsteps. I can’t catch a clear scent, but it doesn’t seem to be a wolf.
Instantly, my senses are all on alert. If it isn’t a wolf, then it can only be an enemy. The odds of a random stranger being this far out into the woods are almost zero, and we are on constant watch for anyone trying to get close to the stone.
The incursion sent a ripple through the ether that would have alerted every mage on the planet. Stronger ones would haveno trouble finding it, and the last thing we need is a random wizard showing up to poke the fiery snake with a magic wand.
I put on a burst of speed, powering through the forest towards the sound of running feet. I hear a sharp gasp as the person speeds up, but they are only human and don’t manage to widen the gap between us.
Now that I’m closer, the scent is blowing straight back to me, but I can’t tell much about it, except that it seems to be human. Something about it is shrouded, as if it were covered up somehow, and my suspicion kicks up a notch.
It’s not easy to mask a scent from a wolf. It has to be done with magic, or a fuck ton of skill.
Convinced that this is no civilian, I keep pace until we hit a break in the trees, then shoot forward with powerful strides and leap at the person’s back. As I sail through the air, I notice that it’s a woman.
A witch? It would have to be.
She lets out a sharp cry as I slam into her back and shove her to the ground. I do a quick roll and flip, growling as I turn back to face her. She scrambles to her knees and almost jumps to her feet, but I bark sharply at her, and she stays down.
“Please,” she says. “Just let me go.”
The sound of her voice seeps into me, as if every single cell in my body absorbs it, not just my ears. My blood sings, caressing my veins, and finally, I recognize the thick, sweet scent.
